Chapter 7 - CLAIRE'S EVIDENCE WASN'T PERFECT
The anonymous photographs created another problem.
Who took them?
Claire did not know.
Rachel worried:
illegal surveillance,
stalking,
authentication.
Metadata showed dates.
But chain of custody was weak.
Adrian’s lawyer attacked.
“These images could be manipulated.”
Then Vanessa admitted the affair under oath.
Authentication problem mostly solved.
But a deeper issue remained.
One photo showed Adrian kissing Vanessa on June 14.
Adrian claimed he and Claire were already separated emotionally.
Claire said:
not formally.
Texts between spouses that week showed:
arguments,
but also dinner plans,
prenatal appointment,
“love you” from Adrian.
Messy.
Adultery mattered emotionally.
Its legal relevance to property division depended on jurisdiction and financial conduct.
Rachel told Claire:
“Do not build the whole case around betrayal.”
Claire hated that.
“He slept with my sister.”
“Yes.”
“While I was pregnant.”
“Yes.”
“And the court may not care?”
“The court may care differently than you do.”
That was law.
Unfair-feeling.
May you like
Still law.
So they followed money.
